All eyes
were on Peter Barnes, Leeds Unitedís £930,000 signing
from West Bromwich Albion, when he made his Elland Road debut in a First Division clash
against Everton in September 1981. Allan Clarkeís side were
reeling from the humiliation of a 5-1 defeat by newly promoted SwanseaCity on the opening day of the season as
Everton arrived at Elland Road.

Everton,
under the guidance of their new manager, Howard Kendall, shocked United by
taking an eleventh minute lead through Alan Biley, a
£300,000 signing from Derby County, who was making only his second appearance
in Everton colours. Biley
fired in from fifteen yards following a crisp low centre from Alan Ainscow, another of Kendallís recent captures and with England
Under-Twenty-One international midfield man Steve McMahon making his presence
felt, Everton had the edge in midfield.

As a
result, their front men, Alan Biley and Peter Eastoe, were so direct at times that Unitedísdefence survived only by desperate measures. But
United rallied and got the equalising goal in the
thirty-third minute, and much to the delight of home supporters, Barnes played
a key part in it. His telling run on the right took him past one defender and
when he reached the by-line the winger crossed a high ball to the far post,
where Derek Parlane headed forward for Arthur Graham
to ram the ball past Jim Arnold, Evertonís summer signing from Blackburn
Rovers, from close range.

Everton,
who had not won at Elland Road for thirty years,
might have taken a 3-1 lead had Peter Eastoe not been
thwarted by John Lukic, who also made a brilliant
stop at the feet of Asa Hartford. While Peter Barnes
had the satisfaction of marking his home debut by helping to make Unitedís point-clinching goal, Arthur Graham, the player
who had to surrender the No. 11 shirt to the new man, took the major honours for a pulsating ninety-minute contribution.

ďArthur was
a revelation on the right flank. When we signed Peter it put pressure on other
players and Arthur was clearly anxious. But his present form is very
encouraging,Ē said Unitedís assistant manager Martin
Wilkinson. The twenty-eight year old Graham, who had lost his place in the
Scottish team combined grit and endeavour with no
little skill and speed as he repeatedly ran at the strong Everton defence, under the gaze of Scotland team boss, Jock Stein.

Alternate
Report from YEP (Courtesy Mark Ledgard)

A flash of
the Peter Barnes brand of brilliance by gave United the goal that enabled them
to open their points account for the season. But though their performance had
far more solidarity about it than when the were mauled in South Wales the
previous Saturday, Leeds still had some way to go to find their discipline of
late in the previous season. In a new look Everton they found themselves up
against a side eager to attack and the return of Byron Stevenson to the
midfield at least helped them steady Evertonís aggression. Alan Biley, a £300,000 import from DerbyCounty, was always a handful. He gave
notice of his agility as early as the seventh minute when he forced a volley goalwards. Trevor Cherry blocked that one, but when the
stretching Leeds captain could not reach a low cross
from the right four minutes later, Biley launched
himself forward to crack the ball magnificently into the corner of the net from
ten yards. Crosses from the right had accounted for four of the five goals
conceded at Swansea and probably the reshuffle which saw Kevin Hird and Frank Gray, both the full backs on that Saturday,
dropped. It looked as though the potential trouble spot might still be there,
but perhaps the main problem was the tension that the Saturday defeat had
brought. It could have accounted for the uncharacteristic basic errors which
almost saw the lively Everton further ahead. Biley,
who had hit a debut goal the previous Saturday, was wide when Paul Hartís slip
sent him clear and Peter Eastoe with rare skill went
near with a lob.

A break had
to go Unitedís way sometime in the young season and
in the thirty-third minute Peter Barnes forced it along. His effort down the
left wing brought the equaliser which in turn fired a
far more confident-looking Leeds.
Barnes slipped his marker to hang a cross on the far angle of the six yard
line. Derek Parlane nodded it down and there was
Arthur Graham to smack in his first goal since the previous December from three
yards. Leedswere now
in business. But Everton were still intent on their first League win at Elland Road for thirty years and Leeds had John Lukic
to thank for holding a tricky dipping twenty-five yard drive from Dave Thomas
and then blocking Asa Hartfordís close in shot. Dave
Thomas and Brian Greenhoff clashed and were both
booked. Mickey Walsh was cautioned for a foul on Arthur Graham and the search
for three points intensified with both sides hitting the woodwork, Derek Parlane for Leeds and Peter Eastoe for
Everton. But in the end the 26,502 crowd, which included international Managers
Mike England and Jock Stein, saw the points shared. Howard Kendall, Evertonís
Manager, said the delivery from Barnes which had brought Leedsí goal had been tremendous. ďCrosses
like that are a nightmare,Ē he said.